Gaff hook



y 1952 E. E. BROWN EIAL 2,603,520

GAFF HOOK Filed April 8, 1950 w nn ng H I "I! II II IN EEN TORS are round to receive the bar. If desired, however, rectangularly-shaped openings may be formed in rod 4 and sleeve 5 in which case bar I3 is also rectangular in shape as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings to be subsequently described. Sleeve 5 is provided to reinforce rod 3 and if desired may be omitted.

Bar I3 isnormally urged to theleft as shown in Fig. 1 by] resilient means, such; as a"- tensio n spring I5 having one end secured to sleeve 5 and its opposite end secured to the bar I3 adjacent handle I4. Spring I5 may be of any desired type and may be associated with bar I3 in any suitable manner. As illustrated, spring I5 is of the coil type through which bar- I3 extends and on'e end of spring I5 is shaped to providean eyelet through which a set screw I6 extends for fasten-J.

ing it to sleeve 5 and its opposite end extends through an opening I! in bar I3 adjacent handle I4 and is bent to prevent its removal from the bar.

To retain bar I3'in its extended position as shown in Fig. 1, his provided with an opening I9 which extends angularly to the bar as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 so that when the bar is pulled toward the right in opposition to spring I5, opening I9 will be in alignment with bore 1 and the spring wire 9 will extend through the opening and will hold the bar -I3 in the position shown in Fig. 1. When a fish is "gaffed by forcing the pointed portion of the hook through the gills or other portions of the fish,'however, the fish is forced into engagement with spring wire 9, thereby pulling the free end portionof the wire spring out of the opening I9 and-bar I3 is forced toward the left as shown in Fig. I' under the-influence of spring I5 to the position-shown in Fig. 2. It will be noted that ifthe head or body of the fish lies within the space A provided by the gait hook and bar I3, the fish willbe retained in place by the bar until landed. 7 The fish, however, in his attempts to escape may throw his body in the path of bar I 3 in which case the force of the bar under the infiuenceor spring I5 may be sufiicient'to kill or pierce the fish and for this purpose the bar I3' is provided with a pointed endZIJ.

After the fish is landed and removed from the thecollar .23, however, onto pgrmit the use of the gaff hook iin 'the event {that a set screw might loosen and become lost,'a 'gro'ove'u terminating in an aperture 25 is formed in collar 23 as disclosed in Figs. 6 and '7 and the free end portion of the wire 9 extending into bore I is provided I and while the collar and wire are in position gafi hook, the hook may .be again reset by pulling bar I3 to the right against the forc'eof spring I5 until the openingjIS in bar I3 is moved in alignment with bore! at which timethe'upward tension of spring II forces its free end through the opening I9 and again locks the retaining means in place. Because bar I 3 asshown in Figs. 1 and 2 is round, the opening I9 might not be in alignment with the bore when bar I3 ispulled toward the right. By turning the bar I3 slightly, however, opening I9 may be brought into proper alignment with the bore 1. g j To avoid the necessity of turning bar I3 to position its opening I9 in alignment with the .bore

groove 2I as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing to loosely receive the shank of a set screw 22 so as to permit transverse movement of the bar I 3' while in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 in which most of the parts are similar to those shown in Figs. 1' and 2'and consequently have beendesignated by the same reference numerals. In the modifications shown I I, however, the bar I3 may be provided with a pointed portion of said hook, a .loopiportion with a portionthat fits in the aperture 25. The collar 23 slidably engages the wall forming bore within the bore, the free end of the wire will be held in place by the internal Wall of rod 3 surrounding bore I.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, the lower portion of the bore is reduced in size to form a shoulder 21 which provides a seat for oneend of a coil spring 28, the other end of which abuts against the lower edge of collar 23, urging collar 23 upwardly into seating engagement with a recess 29 formed in a rectangularly-shaped bar 30 which extends through rectangularly-shapedaligned openings formed in rod 3 and sleeve 5 as shown in Fig. 5. The coil spring 28 also serves to retain the hook portion of the wire 9 in collar-23. I I

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the spring 28 urges collar 23 'in'se'ating engagement with recess 29 of bar 30 andconsequently, it is not necessary'that wire 9 shall-beformed of spring steel although it may be formedoi spring steel in Figs. 1 and 2. When' the fish is'gafied, he exertsa downward pull oI'i-wire9', releasing bar 39 which is forced to theleft'as shown in Fig. 4 to retainthe fish in place or to hit or pierce the fish if he throws his body in alignment with'the pointed end of bar 30. Iii-resetting the device, bar 3II is pulled to the right against the tension of spring I5 until the recess 1 His) in alignment with collar 23 which is forced-intorecess 29'by spring 28 to thereby hold-the device in its extended position until the next fish is to be gafi ed.

In themodification'shown in Fig. 4, it will be noted that the free end portion of thegafi-htiok? portion and a rod portion which rod" portion extends at a diverse inclination to the, pointed portion of the hook, said'rod portionbeing'pmvided with a bore and a; transverse openingja bar slidable in-the'transverjse' opening-in said lrod portion which bar isprovided', with arecess adjacent its'free end, resilient means associated with said-bar for urging said bar in a direction toward the pointed portion of said hook, a wirehaving one end secured to said hook in proximity to the arranged in spacedrelation toi the loop portion of the hook, and a free" d portion extending into. the bore, of the, re p'ortioniof said hook which free end portion is provided with'an' abutat at its free end; resilient means arranged irigsaid per ior urging the abutment on said wire- 'intc i' eng'agiernent with the recess in said bar-when th-e bar is pulled in a'direction away from the pdinted end of saidhook against i the tnsiori -oi said'resnient means, and-"said wire being eng ageable bya fish being gafi'ed to pull said abutment out of 'the recess in said bar to relea's'e' saidfbar when the fish is being gafied to permit saidbar to be moved under the influence I resilie'ntyfn'eans I to aposition inwhich it the' gaifed fishin'place on said hook. -2e A gaiT- hook having a pointed portion, a loop rid-a threadedrod portion provided with hich r'od'portion extehdsat a diverse inclination tothe pointed portion" of said hook, a jsupporting sleeve threaded to saidrod which terniinates at' a spaced distance from the free end cream iodanasaia sleeveand rod portions being provided withtiahsverse openings, a bar slidable in thetran'sverseopeningsin said sleeve and rod portionswhich bar is provided with a' recess adjacent-ii endJreSiIient means associated with said -bar-- for-urging'-- said bar in a direction toward the pointed portion of saidhook, a wire having one end 'secured'to said hook in proximity to... thepointed portion of said, hook, a loop portion arranged adjacent to but in spaced relation to the loop portio'n of said hook and a free end portion extending'i'nto the bore of said rod portion"-which free end portion is providedwith a OIlar 'at its freeend,- resilient means arranged in saiglj bore forurgingsaid collar on said wire into' engagement with the' re'c'ess-in said bar when said bar is pulled in a direction away from the pointed end of said hook against the tension of said resilient means, and said wire being engageable by a fish being gaffedto permit said bar to be moved under the influence of said resilient means to a position in which it-retains the gaifed fish in place on said hook.

3. A gaff hook comprising a central loop portion having a pointed end integral with and extending from one end of the loop portion for impaling a fish and a rod integral with the other end of the loop portion which extends at a diverse inclination to the pointed portion and which I provides a support for a handle and has a transverse opening therein, first means extending through the transverse opening in said rod which is movable away from the pointed end of the rod to a set position and which is movable toward the pointed end of the hook when released from its set position for retaining a, fish gaffed on said hook in place, second means having a first portion secured adjacent to the pointed end of the gaff hook and a free portion engaging said first means to hold it in its set position when the first means is at a remote position from the pointed end of the hook, and said second means also having an intermediate looped portion which lies in the path of a fish being gafied on said hook and which is movable by the fish being gaffed to release the free end portion of the second means from engagement with the first means to thereby release the first means from its set position, and resilient means associated with the first means for moving the first means across the loop portion of the hook for retaining the gafied fish in place on said hook when the first means is released from its set position.

4. A gaff hook comprising a central loop portion having a pointed end integral with and extending from one end of the loop portion for impaling a fish and a rod integral with the other end-of the loopportion which extends 'at'a diverse 'iricliii'ationr to; the": pointed portion and which providesa support at its free end tor a handle and said rod portion :peing provided with a transverse opening, a barextending through the transverse opening in said rod portion which bar is movable away 'fromithe pointed end of th rod positionirom' the pointed end of the hook, and

said means also having an intermediate looped portion which lies in the path of a fish being gafi ed on-said hook and which is movable by the fish v.being g'affed to release the free end'ofsaid means from engagement with-said bar to thereby release the bar from it'sset position, and resilient means associated-with said: bar for moving the bar across the loop portion of the. hook for retaining the gaffed fish in place on said hook when said bar i's released from its set position; 1

- 5.-A gafi hook comprising'a central loop portionhaving'a pointed end extending from one end ofithe loop portion for impaling a fish and a 1 rod extending from i the other end of the loop portion of said hook-which is arranged at a di' verse inclination' to the pointed end and which provides a support for a -han'dle'andsaid rod beinggprovided-with a transverse opening-and a longitudinally extending bore; a bar extending through the transverse opening in said rod which bar is provided with a free end portion, said bar being movable away from the pointed end of the rod to a set position and being movable toward the pointed end of the hook when released from its set position for retaining a fish gaffed on said hook in place, means having one end secured to the hook portion adjacent the pointed end of said hook and a free end portion arranged in the longitudinal bore in said rod for engaging a portion of said bar for holdingthe bar in its set position in which its free end is at a remote distance from the pointed end of said hook, and said means having a looped portion spaced inwardly from the loop portion of the hook which lies in the path of a fish being gaifed on said hook and which is movable by the fishbeing gafied to release the free end portion of said means from engagement with said bar to thereby release said bar from its set position, and resilient means associated with said bar for moving the bar across the loop portion of said' book when the bar is released from its set position.

6. A gaff hook as defined in claim 5 in which the means secured adjacent the pointed end of the hook and having a loop portion spaced from the loop of the hook and a free end portion ar- A ranged in the longitudinal bore of the rod for engaging a portion of the bar, consists of a spring wire. 7. A gaff hook as defined in claim 5 in which 7 the freeend of which ,extendsithrough the trans- ;verseopening'in said bore in-;the-bar when "the bar is pulled awayfrom the pointed end-of said hook to positionitsv transverse opening, in alignment with;jthe longitudinallyextending bore in Said10d.""; flzj'i-i v 8. A gaff hook comprising a; centralloop portion havinga pointed 'endextending from one endiof Vthe'loop portion for impaling aefish and a rod extending at a diverse inclination to the pointed end of thehook, said rod being provided with a;b o re and a transverse opening, a sleeve surrounding and serving as: a'jsupport for-,said rod and; having: a transverse; opening therein in alignment with the transverse opening injsaid rod whichi'sleeveqterminates a short distance from the outer-end of the rod to provide a space on'said rod for receivingahandle for said'hook, a bar extending through the, transverse openings in said rod and sleeve which bar is movable toward the poin ed; end of said hook for retain,- inga-fish a red onflsaid hook in place, means having one endseeuredto theihookwportion adjacent the'pointedend of said hook, a loop portion spaced inwardly from'the loop portion of the hook, and a free end portion arranged in the bore of said rodand engaging a portion of said bar for holding; the free end portion of said bar in a position remote from thepointed end of said hook, and said means being movable by a fish being'gafiedon said hook to release the trans- .verse bar, and resilient means associated with said bar for moving it across the loop portion of the hook for retaining a gaffed fish in place when said baris released.

9.. Agaffhook as:. define d;.in claim 8 in which the; rod is threadedth'e sleevein in threadedem gagement with the rod,.andthe free end of the threaded rod'extendsgbeyondgthe sleeve, and a handle threaded to theiree end of the rod..;

"10. A gafi hook as definedin claim 8 in which the bar has a pointed free end portion and-a transverse opening adjacent'its 'free end portion and which the means having one end secured to the hook adjacent the pointed end of the hook, arloop portion spaced inwardly from the loop portion of the hook, and a free end portion arranged in the bore of therod and engaging aportion of thegbar for holding the free end portion of the bar in a position-remote from the pointed end of-thehook; consists of a spring wire which is movable" through the transverse opening in the'free end portion of the bar when the bar is moved" to a position in which the transverse'openingadjacent its free; end is in alignment with the longitudinal bore in the rod portion of said1h00k. y .i

' I ,1 ELME'R' E. BROWN;

' i "ROBERT E. BROWN;

@REFERENCES CITED The'following references are of record in the file of this patent; H

I UNITEDIS TATES PATENTS Number Name Date 7 [784,747 Lobit, Mar. 14, 1905 Thompson ,et a1 

